I was going to go ahead and write a completely serious post on what I was thankful for… I was.

But instead how about a little less serious of a post skipping the big three (God, Wife, Family) and focusing on something else:

I’m thankful for Walt Disney

Disney taught me how to dream,  how to think outside of the box and how to accomplish the impossible.

For those of you who may not know I’m a total Disneyophile.

Ever since I was old enough to watch TV the Disney Channel was common background in my house (Pre-Lizzie Mcguire DC that is)  Whether I was watching a re-run of some obscure Disney title from the 80’s (I loved “The Last Flight of Noah’s Ark)  or the latest on the Magical World of Disney (a sentiment which I also share with my wife, two of her favorite movies are “Wild Hearts Can’t Be Broken” and “The Journey of Natty Gann”), I was hooked.  There were Halloween costumes inspired by Fess Parker’s Davy Crockett and a crush on Haley Mills that I only recently grew out of.  Before Harry Potter this was the only magic on TV, flying with “Peter Pan”, playing soccer with a motley crew of animals in “Bedknobs and Broomsticks” or dancing on the rooftops of London with Dick Van Dyke in “Mary Poppins.”

I grew up seeing the later animated films in the theaters and can still remember my mother having both The Little Mermaid and Lion King soundtracks on cassette tape playing in the car on holiday trips.  Cara and I still take dates to catch movies like Wall-e and Toy Story 2 and have more than once included the (now defunct) Disney Store into our mall window shopping circuits.

Walt Disney World is my favorite and most perfect place on earth and too many times a visit there has been the highlight of our year.  Among the attractions both Cara and I have personal favorites (both of which include Soarin’ and Mickey’s Philharmagic) as well as several routes and park plans we’ve devised throughout the years (big thanks to Cole here)  No matter what the backdrop of my life, Disney, in all it’s incarnations will play a supporting role.

Thank you Disney for daring to dream.

Ok, let me preface this by saying it’s not about underwear

It could be but it’s not.  So no comments about drawers, boxers, under-somethings…

It is about jeans

I love my jeans.  In fact it’s very possible there have been entire years where I have worn jeans everyday.  This took place in college, a time when my parents had little say in my choice of sartorial antics, before I had a “real” job and at a time when churches were abandoning dress codes faster than gas prices are falling.  When I was in a band that was pretty much all we would ever wear, though I remember this being a profoundly bad*(thanks Cole) idea on more than one occasion since we were based out of Orlando, where the temp averaged in the 90’s and we weren’t rich/famous enough to have roadies pack our gear.  In fact all most all of my jackets, shirts, cardigans* revolve around jeans as the foundation.

So it’s weird for me to hit what I will call my own personal “jean crisis”

Basically, no jeans at work.  Yeah, I know, to most of you this is common sense and that’s fine, I get it too.  I’m just finding that in practice it is a much more challenging concept.  In fact I grapple with it daily.  I wake up and instinctively reach for my jeans… then I have my coffee and realize that it’s not Friday and therefore not a jean day. Snap.

Pants don’t fit like jeans, nor do they wear as well.  But we’re also talking about a fundamental change in thinking.  Everything goes with denim, but does everything go with hounds-tooth? Or Pinstripe?  No longer can I merely mix and match, now there must be planning… and laundry!

I know this is pretty much a lament, and I’m sorry.  I guess I just don’t understand when jeans became inappropriate?  What event led to their infamy as “Non-professional?”

Was it Dylan?

Was it the poor cuts of the 70’s?

Is it because every girl and their mom wants a pair of “A” Pockets?

Is it just a lack of creativity or an outdated model of workplace etiquette?

I want a jean bailout.

So in the comments I said that I remain unaffiliated with all sports teams

As true as that sounds to those of you that know me,

It’s not entirely accurate

I’m affiliated the yellow team:

… well, theologically

(Is Jesus about to be sacked by little Suzy?)